United States Aquaculture: Current Status and the Precautionary Principle

Total aquaculture production in the United States of 496,907 tonnes in 2008 generated $924 million. The aquaculture industry grew between 1998 and 2008, increasing 12 percent in tonnage and 19 percent in value. This increase resulted entirely from the shellfish sector, where production increased 65 percent from 127,059 to 209,775 tonnes, with a corresponding 186 percent increase in value from $113 to $323 million. In contrast, the finfish sector declined 9 percent in both tonnage and value with 2008 production of 287,132 tonnes worth $601 million.

 The dominant sector of the industry is production of channel catfish which occurs largely in earthen ponds in the Southeast. Catfish comprised 81 percent of finfish tonnage in 2008 and 65 percent of total finfish value. Peak catfish production of 300,000 tonnes in 2003 declined to 233,564 tonnes in 2008, primarily as a result of high feed costs and intense competition from imported fish from Asia. Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout production in 2008 of just over 16,000 tonnes each was valued at $45 million and $50 million respectively. Rainbow trout are produced primarily in raceways in Idaho, while Atlantic salmon are produced in ocean netpens off the coast of Maine.

 Shellfish are cultured in every coastal state but production centers are located along coasts of the northeast, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Northwest. Primary cultured species are Atlantic and Pacific oysters, blue mussels, hard clams, crawfish, abalone, and Geoduck clams.

 U.S. Seafood production through fisheries and aquaculture falls far short of supplying domestic needs and currently about 85% of seafood consumed is imported. This creates a $10 billion annual seafood trade deficit. Approximately 50 percent of imported seafood results from aquaculture production, primarily in Asia. While great potential exists to expand shellfish production and net-pen culture of marine finfish, there is considerable opposition and until a supportive policy and enabling regulatory regime are in place, significant expansion of this industry is unlikely. Given the proven health benefits of seafood, and the likelihood that supplies will be limited in the future, a prudent application of the precautionary principle would highlight the need to facilitate expanded aquaculture production to meet future seafood demands.